Optimizing Screen Time Based On Situational Context

Abstract

A method for optimizing screen time for the user of a smartphone involves determines a target level of usage based on situational context. A period of time during which the user interacts with the smartphone is detected. A first operational mode is detected in which the user interacts with the smartphone during the period of time. A first situational context is identified in which the user is interacting with the smartphone. An interaction benefit to the user is determined based on the period of time, the first operational mode and the situational context. Whether the interaction benefit equals or exceeds the target level is determined. If the interaction benefit does not equal or exceed the target level, it is recommended that the user interact with the smartphone in a second operational mode or restrict the amount of time during which the user engages in the first operational mode.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 detecting a period of time during which a user interacts with a smartphone;   detecting a first operational mode in which the user interacts with the smartphone during the period of time;   identifying a first situational context in which the user is interacting with the smartphone;   determining an interaction benefit based on the period of time, the first operational mode and the situational context;   determining whether the interaction benefit equals or exceeds a target level; and   if the interaction benefit does not equal or exceed the target level, recommending that the user interacts with the smartphone in a second operational mode.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 if the interaction benefit does not equal or exceed the target level, recommending that the user restricts an amount of time during which the user engages in the first operational mode.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 if the interaction benefit does not equal or exceed the target level, suppressing notifications from the smartphone relating to the first operational mode.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the target level corresponds to a condition selected from the group consisting of: a desired battery level and a desired device utilization level. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the interaction benefit is determined as a function of the period of time, and wherein the first operational mode and the situational context are constant in the function. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining, based on the function, a maximum amount of time during which the user can engage in the first operational mode and maintain the interaction benefit above or at the target level.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 preventing the user from interacting with the smartphone in the first operational mode when the period of time during which the user has interacted with the smartphone exceeds the maximum amount of time.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the interaction benefit is determined as a function of both the period of time during which the user interacts with the smartphone in the first operational mode and a second period of time during which the user interacts with the smartphone in the second operational mode, and wherein the situational context is constant in the function. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 ranking a plurality of operational modes according to a maximum amount of time during which the user can engage in each operational mode and still maintain the interaction benefit above or at the target level; and   recommending that the user interacts with the smartphone in the second operational mode based on the second operational mode having a highest ranking.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the interaction benefit is determined as of a first time instant, and wherein the period of time ends at the first time instant, further comprising:
 determining a second interaction benefit as of a second time instant; and   indicating to the user whether the second interaction benefit is greater than, equal to, or less than the interaction benefit determined as of the first time instant.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the situational context identifies a context selected from the group consisting of: a location of the user, an activity undertaken by the user, and a category of persons accompanying the user. 
     
     
         28 . A system comprising:
 a timer that detects a period of time during which a user of the system interacts with a smartphone;   a mode detector that identifies a first operational mode in which the user interacts with the smartphone during the period of time;   a sensor adapted to identify a situational context in which the user is interacting with the smartphone;   an evaluation unit adapted to determine an interaction benefit based on the period of time, the first operational mode and the situational context, wherein the evaluation unit determines whether the interaction benefit equals or exceeds a target level; and   a screen of the smartphone on which a recommendation is displayed to the user if the evaluation unit determines that the interaction benefit does not equal or exceed the target level.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the recommendation is that the user should switch from interacting with the smartphone in the first operational mode to interacting with the smartphone in a second operational mode. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the recommendation is that the user should limit an amount of time during which the user interacts with the smartphone in the first operational mode. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the system suppresses notifications to the user from the first operational mode if the evaluation unit determines that the interaction benefit does not equal or exceed the target level. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the evaluation unit determines the interaction benefit as a function of the period of time, and wherein the first operational mode and the situational context are constant in the function. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the situational context identifies a context selected from the group consisting of: a location of the user, an activity undertaken by the user, and a category of persons accompanying the user. 
     
     
         34 . A method comprising:
 determining personal characteristics applicable to a user of a smartphone;   detect sensing data corresponding to how the user is interacting with the smartphone;   detecting a situational parameter corresponding to a context in which the user is interacting with the smartphone;   detecting an operational mode in which the user is interacting with the smartphone;   determining, based on the personal characteristics, the sensing data and the situational parameter, a maximum amount of time during which the user can interact with the smartphone in the operational mode and still maintain a target wellbeing level;   detecting a period of time during which the user is interacting with the smartphone in the operational mode; and   recommending that the user interacts with the smartphone in a second operational mode if the period of time exceeds the maximum amount of time.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the personal characteristics are selected from the group consisting of: a gender of the user, an age of the user, an ethnicity of the user, and a personality score of the user. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the sensing data are selected from the group consisting of: a step count sensed while the user is interacting with the smartphone in the operational mode, GPS coordinates of the smartphone while the user is interacting with the smartphone in the operational mode, total data consumption of the smartphone while the user is interacting with the smartphone in the operational mode, ambient light level while the user is interacting with the smartphone in the operational mode, and ambient noise level while the user is interacting with the smartphone in the operational mode. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the context corresponding to the situational parameter is selected from the group consisting of: a location of the user, an activity undertaken by the user, a category of persons accompanying the user, and a time of day during which the user is interacting with the smartphone. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 suppressing notifications from the smartphone relating to the operational mode if the period of time exceeds the maximum amount of time.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 recommending that the user stops engaging in the operational mode if the period of time exceeds the maximum amount of time.   
     
     
         40 - 53 . (canceled)